Addison p



(N0 Model.)

A. P. PUREFOY.

SPRING BED BOTTOM.

No. 254,372. Patented Feb. 28,1882.

Irwenlr- MCMJQMJ f Y y. fig wZZT/L L UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

.ADDIsoN F. PUREFOY, or WAKE FOREST, NORTH CAROLINA, Asstenon or ONE-FOURTH TO SIDNEY ABERNATHY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPRING BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,372, dated February 28, 1882.

Application filed January 16,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Annrson F. PUREFOY, of Wake Forest, county of Wake, and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring Bed-Bottoms, whereof the following specification is a full and exact description.

The invention has for its object more particularly to adapt the springs to sustain the I o bed uniformly over its entire surface, so that the weight will be distributed and not borne by the few springs immediately under it, and that the tendency of the bed to sag or settle in the middle will be thus avoided.

It also has for an object to securely attach the spring to the slats.

As heretofore constructed the spiral splin gs in the form of a single or double cone have had at the top a simple ring formed by bending the end of the wire and joining it to the last coil. Springs thus constructed furnish each but a small bearing, and in order to support the mattress they require to be thickly set, so that the elastioityof the bed-bottomis therebylessened.

2 5 They, moreover, act each independent of the others, and the mattress itself must be relied upon to convey pressure from one to the other and to resist sagging.

Various means-have been resorted to to overcome these disadvantages-such as thecon'nection of the springs together by links throughout the bed bottom, the formation of twin springs from a single wire, leaving a connec. tion between them at the top, and the like-and 5 these have been attended with a certain degree of success, and have constituted improvements in the art.

In the present invention the desired results are obtained much more completely and satis- 4o factorily.

The springs are provided'each with a flat top, which extends beyond the last coil at the enlarged or upper end of the cone in a horizontal plane, or plane at right angles to the height or length of the spring. This top is formed integral with the body of the spring by coiling the wire in a horizontal plane twice or more around the last coil of the cone.

To give greater stiffness to the top, cross wires or braces are combined therewith, they extending over the coils of the cone or body of the spring and under the coils forming the extension-top, and being suitably attached. Braces of this kind may be used individually for each spring, or two or more springs may be connected by links or supporters, which extend under the top coils of connected springs. In the latter case the braces serve the double function of stiffening the tops and of supporting the springs. Individual braces and connect- 6o ing and supporting braces may be used together; but ordinarily one kind only will be necessary.

In order to give rigidity to the top coils themselves, the wire of these coils, which is usually 6 5 round, may be flattened in a vertical direction, if desired, the wire in the body of the springs being left round, as usual, for elasticity. The flattening can be effected by running the wire between rollers, or in other convenient Way. By means of the flat extension-tops and other features of construction indicated the springs have each a large bearing on the bed. A less number of them is required in a bed of equal size. The bed-bottom is consequently more yielding and elastic, thepressure is com'municated from one spring to the others, and each spring is compressed in a practically vertical direction. In order to secure this communication or uniform distribution of the pressure in 30 the best way, a special arrangement of springs is adoptedto wit, those in one row are placed opposite the spaces between every two springs in adjacent rows, half-width springs of elliptical shape in plan being placed at the ends of rows where needed. These portions of the invention are applicable both to single springs and to twin springs, and both forms are included therein. Theinvention comprises, however, features specially applicable to twin 9o springs: first, the connection-wire is bent outward or away from the coils, so as to enter the spacebetween the two parts of the adjoining twin springs in the same row, or between the two adjacent springs; and,'secondly, this 5 connection-wire is or may be flattened in a vertical direction to give greater rigidity thereto. The invention further comprises a fastener for attaching the springs to the slats, and applicable both to single and to twin springs.

It consists of a wire or spring clamp which is connected with the spring by a loop or eye, and in use embraces the slat and the lower coil of the spring. It may be used instead of or in addition to the fastener formed by a bend in the wire of the spring itself, or in other ordinary way.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a twin spring with stiffening and supporting braces and fasteners made in accordance with theinvention; Fig.2, a similar view of a single spring or half of a twin spring made of round wire and provided with an individual stiffening-brace; Fig. 3, a view like unto Fig. 2, showing another form ofbrace; Fig. 4,21. view showing a series of springs with their flat tops stiffened and the springs supported by a common wire; Fig. 5, a view of one of the improved fasteners detached, and Fig. 6 a plan or diagram of a bed-bottom embodying the invention. Fig. 7 is a plan View of one part ofa half-width twin spring, such as shown in Fig. 6, at the ends of alternate rows, but made entirely of round wire.

A represents the main body of the springs, formed, as shown, of a double cone; B, the flat extension-tops; O, connection-wires of the twin springs; D, stiffening-braces; E, supportingbraces, adapted also .to stiffen the extensiontops; and F, the fasteners, G the slats, and H half-width springs.

As shown in Fig. 1, the extension top, beginning at or near the point a in last coil of the body or conical portion A, is flattened in a vertical direction, and the connection-wire O is similarly flattened. A portion of one of the outer coils of the top is broken away in this figure, in order to show the shape in cross-sec tion.

The flattening, if desired, may be done in various ways, but most advantageously by means of a pair of vertical rollers of small diameter provided with mechanism for rotating the same, and adapted to be opened at the upper end to receive the wire between them and closed to flatten it. After one spring of the twin has been formed the wire at, say, the point Ct is placed between the rolls open to receive it. The said rolls are then closed and rotated,and the wire is run through till the point a on the other spring of the twin is reached, when it is removed and the body of the second springis coiled. 1n the formation ofthe spring any ordinary or suitable means may be used.

Single-cone as well as double-cone springs can be made under the invention.

The connection-wire O is bent outward at b, so that when placed in position it will project between the tops of the adjacent t'win spring and support the mattress in the space between them, as shown in Fig. 6.

The stifiening-braces D consist of round wire (half-round or flat wire could be used) and extend under the coils of the tops B, and over the upper coil of the body or conical portions A, and are fastened to the outer coils of the tops. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, they are com posed each of a single wire bent to form three arms. The brace shown in Fig. 3 consists of two wires crossed at right angles.

The supporting braces E extend from one spring to another, under the top coils of both. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, they are formed of short wires attached at opposite ends to the last conical coil of the two springs. As shown in Fig. 4, a single wire extends through a series of springs under the coils of the tops B and over the last coils of the conical portions A. Wires thus arranged may run lengthwise of the bed, crosswise or obliquely, or there may be two or more sets crossing each other at the several springs.

The outer coil of the extension-top is provided with bends y where the bracesD are attached, so as to prevent the braces from slipping around on the coils, and when thetops are of round wire, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bends are downward, so that the top of the brace is in the plane of the bottom of the extension-top. The same relative position can be secured by bending the brace itself, as shown in Fig. 1.

The fasteners consist each of a wire bent to form aneye, 0, at one end, and a hook, d, at the other, and to provide arms ef for receiving between them the slats G and a coil of the part A of the spring. The eye 0 is passed over the coil of the bed-spring, and is thereby attached to it, and at the same time it furnishes an elastic connection not easily broken between the clamping-arms ef.

The arrangement of the springs in the bedbettom is clearly shown in Fig. 6. The supporting-braces E are shown applied only on a portion of the bed-bottom sufficiently to illustrate the principle. Each twin spring is supported on two slats, and is placed opposite the space between the adjacent springs in thetwo adjoining rows. The small spaces at the end of alternate rows are filled by the half-width springs H.

The principle of the invention and what is deemed the best mode of carrying the same into effect having been now described, it may be observed that the details of construction may be modified, and also that portions of the invention may be used without the others. For example, the flattening of wire at the upper part of the springs in order to give rigidity thereto may be used with springs not provided with theflat extension-tops, and in twin springs of ordinary construction the connection-wires may be bent outward or flattened, or' bent outward and flattened, and so for other improvements. Springs embodying the invention, at least in part, may be used for other purposes than for bed-bottoms, as for general upholstering. In some cases the springs may be re versed-that is, the top or end opposite from the support downward. A press or dies could be used to flatten the wire, when desired, instead of pressure-rolls, as described.

The term vertical herein employed refers to the length of the springs, which is commonly vertical, always so in bed-bottoms, and horizontal means at right angle to said length.

The extension-tops can be made separate from the body of the springs and be attached thereto by welding, by rivets or clamps, or in other. suitable way, and they may be made of different wire from that used in the body of the springs.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. A spring comprising a conical body and a flat or horizontal topformed of coils around the v enlarged end of the cone, substantially as described.

2. Atwin spring comprising the two conical bodies and fiat extension-tops and the connection between said tops formed integral or of one wire, substantially as described.

3. A conical wire spring having the wire in one or more coils at the end flattened vertically to give greater rigidity, the wire in the main body being round, substantially as described.

4. In a twin spring, the connection-wire flattened vertically, substantially as described.

5. The method of giving greater rigidity to the tops of springs and the connection-wires of twin springs by flattening the wire vertically between rolls, or by other suitable means, as set forth.

6. Ina twin spring, theconnection-wire bent in the middle awayfrom the coils, as explained.

7. The combination, with flat extension-tops of springs for bed-bottoms and like purposes, 3 5 of stift'eningbraces, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with springs having flat extension-tops, ot' supporting-braces connecting said springs,and adapted also to stitfen said tops by extending under them, substan- 4o tially as described.

. 9. In combination with a twin spring having flat extension-top united by a connection-wire, a supporting-brace connecting the two parts of said twin spring, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with a bed-spring of coiled wire, of a fastener for attachin gthe same to a slat, connected with a coil of the spring by means of a loop or eye, and provided with two spring-arms to embrace the slat and a coil of the spring, and a hook forjoining the ends of said arms, substantially as described.

11. In a bed-bottom, springs arranged in rows, with the springs in one row opposite the spaces between the springs in adjoining rows, and with half-width springsin the ends of alternate rows, substantially as described.

12. The half-width springs of elliptical shape in plan, substantially as described.

13. A spring bed-bottom comprising springs with flat extension-tops supported, braced, fastened, and arranged substantially as described.

December 26, 1881.

A. F. PUREFOY. Witnesses:

JAMES S. PUREFOY, W. L. POTEAT. 

